Endangered Species Material

It is not uncommon for professional orchestra musicians, particularly string players, to perform with instruments that contain small amounts of ivory, tortoise shell, rosewood, and other species that are protected by domestic and international import/export restrictions. A great many of these musical instruments, while legally manufactured and purchased, are highly regulated and subject to very specific documentation requirements when they are carried across international borders. The League provides resources to help musicians and orchestras understand these requirements, and it is in ongoing policy conversations with relevant federal agencies to seek policy solutions that address wildlife conservation goals while also protecting international musical activity that requires musicians to travel across borders with the tools of their trade.